The daily phoenix. (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, August 29, 1865, Image 2
f I III
COLUMBIA^
Tuesday Morning, Aug. 29. 1865.
Thc Depart to re of * Latte Sovereign
It is, vre believe, to the late Senator
Hammond that we owe the phrase,
"Cotton is King," and he employed
it, first, in relation to foreign States,
and in comparison with their several
material powers. And, certainly, had
cotton been continued, os the repre?
sentative property of the whole United
States, upheld by that power, and
tenaciously asserted by its cupidity,
as well as by its strength, there would
be no deposition of the monarch from
his throne. Representing the Con?
federate Government, exclusively, it
was otherwise. He then drew upon
himself the hostility of the United
States Government, and failed,
through their fears, to secura the sup?
port of those foreign powers, which
were yet largely dependent upon his
agency and aid. He was for the time
ignored; and England, groaning from
the lack of cotton-her machinery
silent-her operatives starving-con?
tinued to cry aloud, through the small
treble of Lord John Russell,- "Cotton
is not King." Of course, England
could acknowledge no king coming
from America. But cotton ira.? king,
and of legitimate origin, but he was
bunded against, blindly and tacitly, by
those who were his proper subjects.
Had he any fair play at the hands of
ihe Confederate Government ? "What
was his treatment by the very powers
.wliich, finally, depended upon his
:agency for all their resources. Had his
.agency been sooner resorted to and
relied on. Mr. Davis would not pro?
bably have so tpiickly gone by the
board. At the eoimnencenient of the
late disastrous war, the South was full
of cotton. It could be bought at 7}?
to 8 b? cents everywhere. A general
feeling of doubt and insecurity pre?
vailed among the planters. They
lacked money: They had nothing
else to sell. A very eminent gentle?
man, after consulting with his friends,
proceeded to Richmond, and coun?
selled with certain of the ruling pow?
ers on this subject. He advised that
the Confederate Government should
become the proprietor of all the cot?
ton in the country, at eight cents
should hold it tenaciously-should
bank upon it-and deny its use to
private speculation. This was proba-,
bly the only process by which to assert
the sovereignty of King Cotton. But
he was laughed nt by the wiseacres in
power. Wo remember the indigna?
tion which he expressed in company
at the treatment he received. 1T have
heard," said he, "that I was made the
laughing stock of certain Secretaries
and Senators? among their idiotic
Underlings and Jackals. " It was not
long after when this same Confederate
Government did enter the market,
and bought Up the same cotton at
prices ranging from twenty-five to
eighty cents, with the view to foreign
credit and influence at foreign courts.
But this was not all. Cotton was
what we may call a generic power,
and hence its sovereignty. The agen?
cies of the Government were, in brief,
so many agencies of cotton. Cotton
represented the peculiar claims of the
South-its negro capital-its local in?
terests as well as institutions-it was
the cementing property of the State.
To what sort of persons were these
interests confided ? Who were the
premiers and counsellors, the agents
and officers, having in charge the con?
cerns of this great monarchy? Of Mr.
Davis, himself, we wish to say noth?
ing unkindly. But if the Govern?
ment of the United States should hang
him they would show themselves veiy
ungrateful. He has so governed as
to put the game entirely into their
hands. The Democracy of the South'
did their part, most effectually in this
work of sectional suicide. Their Con?
gresses were as sorry a set of men,
with few exceptions, as ever had the
privilege of cutting the throat of a
Commonwealth. They succumbed to
every requisition of Mr Davis. They
were a collection of pliant placid ant?
acids. The President, himself, a man
of decided talents, stubborn will, great
purity of character, and a patriotism,
which might have been saving had it
been coupled with a healthy tempeaa
ment, was yet a bilious-ascetic, of keen
prejudices, great and morbid self
esteem, strong sympathies, antipathies
quite as strong-a very Cassius-who
continued, through blind antipathies
and sympathies quite as blind, to
' gather about him a cabinet and offi?
cers, some of whom were almost idi?
otic, few of whom were capable, none
of whom perhaps was at all capable of
the duties to which he was assigned.
And so, King Cotton was overthrown ;
by his own people, his own subjects;
his first officers and agents, his Prime
Minister and his cloud of cloudy
counsellors.
Negro Statistics In South Carolina.
Something has already been said on
this subject in our columns; but it
will not be amiss to give the full hst
of those districts in this State in
which the negro exceeds the white
population in numbers. There are
twenty of them, and tho returns are
from the census of 1800:
White. Colored
Abbeville.ll,MG 20,869
Barnwell.12.702 18,041
Beaufort. 6,714 33,339
' Charleston.29,188 40,012
Chester.-7,093 11.024
Clarendon. 4.378 8,717
Colleton. 9,255 . 32,661
Darlington. 8,432 11,929
Edgcfield.15,654 24,233
Fairfield. 6.373 15,738
Georgetown.3,013 18,292
Kershaw. 5,048 8,038
Laurens. 10,529 13,320
Marlborough. 5,373 7,061
Newberry. 7,009 13,870
Orangeburg. 8,108 16,788
Richland. 0,863 11,444
Sumter.6,H57 17,002
Union. 8.670 10,965
Williamsburg. 5,187 10,302
Counties in which white population pre?
ponderates.10
Counties in which colored population pre?
ponderates.20
I Whole number of counties in State.30
Her?*, is an interesting catalogue,
full of hope for humanity, which we
copy from the Darlington Km:
Before a Military Commission which
convened at Georgetown, S. C., June
30, 186o, by virtue of Special Orders
of the District Commander, of which
Colonel George H. Nye, 29tb Maine
Volunteers, \v;is President, tho follow?
ing parries were arranged, tried and
sentenced, viz: Billy Wilson, William
Arnell, Scipio, Anthrum McConnell
and Gabriel, (colored mviliai??,) tor
tlie deliberate murder of J. W. Skin
ner? a citizen of Georgetown District,
on or about May ll, 1865, by shoot?
ing him, the aforesaid J. W. Skinner,
after forcing him to walk a quarter of
a mile into the woods, upon the plan?
tation of Joseph W. Ford, in George>
town District, S. C. (.'barge 2d: For
an attempt to murder Mr. Joseph
Ford and his nephew Stephen Couch?
man, citizens of Georgetown District,
S. C., on the plantation of the former
gentleman, on or about May ll, 18G5.
Having been found guilty, upon
mature consideration of the evidence
adduced, the accused, Billy AVilson,
William Arnell, Scipio, Anthrum
McConnell and Gabriel, were, by the
Commission, sentenced "to be hanged
by the neck until dead, at such time
and place as the General commanding
may direct. "
The proceedings, findings and sen?
tence of the parties mentioned having
been approved by the District Com?
mander, Gen. Beal, with the recom?
mendation of the exercise of mercy
toward Gabriel, Scipio and Anthrum
McConnell, they will be held in close
confinement until the time and the.
place of the execution of their sen?
tences shall be designated by the De?
partment Commander.
At present the miserable offenders
are incarcerated in the. jail at George?
town, and then- approaching end
should be a warning to any who may
be disposed to deeds of violence; or
death. "Whosoever sheddeth man's
blood, by man shall his blood be
shed."
Before the same commission, An
I thrum (colored civilian) was tried and
found guilty, on the charge of rob?
bery of Mrs. Margaret Johnson, re?
siding in Georgetown District, S. C.,
in May last, of one gold ring, one
pair gold spectacles, three dollars in
silver, one silver spoon, a number of
Elates, cups and saucers, five and one
alf yards of cloth, five cotton quilts,
two mattresses, one pair shoes, two
dress patterns, four shawls, handker?
chiefs, laces, stockings, table-coths,
towels, icc. He was sentenced to one
year's imprisonment at hard labor at
such place as shall be designated by
the proper authority.
Also, Henry Green, (colored civil?
ian,) on charge of threatening to mur?
der John. A> McCullough, citizen of
Williamsburg District, S. C., in April,
1865, for the purpose of obtaining
money. The aforesaid Green, with a
gang of negroes, entered the house of
tho said McCullough early in the
morning of the 19th of April, 1865,
ordering him ont of bed and threat?
ening to hang him unless he told
where his money was. Not comply?
ing, he was forced out of doors', when
Green ordered a gallows to be built
a handkerchief to bc tied over his
' eyes, and hung; whereupon Mrs. John
A. McCullough (wife oi John A. Mc?
Cullough) told where the money was,
and her husband was released.
The same Henry Green, on charge
of threatening to murder for the pur?
pose of obtaining money. In this
that he entered the dwelling house of
W. G. Rogerson, citizen of George?
town District, S. C., on the night of
May 10, 1865, and did threaten the
said Rogerson with death in tho fol?
lowing language, to wit : "I must have
all your money, or I will kill you and
burn the house and you with it."
Against Green also were three in?
dictments for robbery, sustained in
the charges above mentioned, as well
as by a further charge of entering thc
residence of Dr. Gester, citizen of
Williamsburg District, S. C., on tho
12th April, 1865, and robbing him,
his wife and children of clothing and
other articles.
Upon all these charges und specifi?
cations, the commission found the
said Green guilty, and sentenced him
to live veal's' imprisonment ut hard
labor, at such place us tho Command?
ing General might designate.
POUCT OF THE PRESIDENT IN GIUST?
INO PARDONS.-Thc President's door
was thrown open ut tho usual hour to?
day, and the room was soon rilled with
a motley crowd of both sexes. As
usual, two-thirds of those present de?
sired pardons for themselves or friends;
but tile bearing of the President to?
wards such applicants hus been no?
ticeably changed of late. His sense
of justice revolts ut the bare idea ol
bribery und corruption being instru?
mental in obtaining: the pardon of any
one. The HerauVs exposure ol' au in?
stance lust week in which $500, paid
to Hon. Thomas Corwin, secured what
the applicant seemed otherwise unable
to obtain, appears to have first called
his attention to the subject, anti
aroused his suspicions. He is now
determined to exercise the greatesl
caution in the matter, und to give ead.
individual casi; his undivided persona
attention. His first step, therefore,
was to suspend action in the Attorney
(lejic:ral"s o?ice lipon nil application:
for purdon until some disposition h:u
been made of those alre ady acvunm
kited. No more requisitions are to Ix
made on the State Department fo:
pardon until further orders.
Tho President is reported to havi
been severe in hts remarks to thosi
who approached hinton the subject o
pardons to-d.iy. One old gentiema:
had si letter in his possession statin;
tlmt his purdon could be obtained io
S'JOO. Tho President dosired to kno\
who offered to obtain it for that sum
He wanted, above nil things, to ascei
tain who the men were that accepte
bribes. He said he hud been notifie
thut unfair and dishonest inllucuct
were used to obtain pardons; but h
desired specific information instead c
generalities, and declared that his o.
tice was the pardon uhuv, and that th
Attorney-General's office had little t
do with it. Tho newspapers migl
assert that 200 were pardoned dailj
because that number of retpiisitioii
passed through the Attornev-(lenora]
office; but he wished thc fact to 1
known that he investigated each co
himself, und only grunted snell pi
titions as recommended themselves i
his clemency. Sonn; of those preset
asked for permission to call again ft
a further consideration of their case
The President significantly replie?
"It would bc sonic time, before mau
more pardons were grunted." Th
would seem to dispose ?d' the projet
of organizing a sepurate pardon bi
reau.
SOUTH CAROLINA RAILROAD.-To
are informed that the track fro
Orangeburg to Columbia is proceei
ing very well from both sides, and th:
the bridge over tho Conguree Rivi
will bo completed this week.
[Charleston Kc irs.
RAILROAD IRON.-Wo are. pleased
announce that the South Carolii
Railroad Company received yesterdi
per burk Fannie, from New Yor
about five hundred tons railroad iroi
which will be immediately used
iaying their track.
[Charleston Courier.
Andrew Thompson lately shot ai
killed Mary Elmore, at Smyrna, Del
ware, because Mary loved somebo?
else better than sho did Andrew.
There are said to Ix*, seventy-fo
divorce cases awaiting trial at T
Crosse, Wisconsin. Ev^jry complaina
is said to bo a soldier or a aoldiei
wife.
Iiiii TREATMENT OP BLACKS.-The
falsehoods continually circulated by
Northern correspondents and others
on this subject, are well illustrated by
the following extract from a recent
letter from the Mayor of Fayetteville,
North Carolina:
To the Eilihr of the Wilmington Herald:
The attention of the municipal au?
thorities has j list been called to an edi?
torial, in your Issue of the lQ|.h inst.,
entitled "The Result of Obstinacy."
They have, in consequence of your
article, caused an investigation to be
made of each cause of complaint
therein contained, and communicate
to your paper the result of that inves?
tigation, vouching for its entire truth
fullness in every particular:
The first specific allegation in your
article is that ' 'two negroes were tied
up aud publicly whipped by the she?
riff on the sentence of a magistrate, in
the town of Fayetteville." The fact
is that two negroes were not tied up
and whipped by the sheriff, but one
negro, who was proven to be guilty of
larceny, was sentenced by a magistrate
to 'oe whipped, and was whipped ac?
cordingly by a person deputized as
constable. In this case the magistrate
exceeded his jurisdiction and commit?
ed an error; he should have bound the
negro over to answer the charge at the
next course. If he had done this, the
negro would, upon conviction, have
been sentenced by the court to receive
the san ie punishment which was in?
flicted-whipping being the punish?
ment for larceny by the laws of North
Can dina, whether the crimes be com?
mitted by a white or a black person.
This whole matter then is thus re
resolved.
" A prominent New York journal re?
cently attempted to answer an article
in the Times on this feature of North
Carolina law, by saying that no white
man had ever been left tied until a
storm blow down the tree as "certainly
happened a few days ago to a negro in
North Carolina." We accordingly
quote further from the Mayor's letter:
The second allegation is that "other
negroes wen: tied to tree's and whip?
ped, and then left tied until a storm
prostrated the trees, and the poor
negroes fell with them, and laid a long
time before being relieved."
This charge is without foundation,
in the manner ami connection in w hich
it is made. The report originated
from this circumstance. The caphiin
of the local police-a military officer
of the United States-caused two nc
groos, who were proved t<> be guilty of
sheep-stealing, to be tied up by the
thumbs to two lam]) posts, and to re
main so suspended for two hours.
While this military order was being
executed, there was a storm of wind
(with some rain) and two small elm
trees were blown down. The negroes
were not "tied to trees," but to iron
lamp posts, and the trees which were
blown down were small, and not with?
in fifty yards of the negroes. This
was not done by "civilians" or by
tho "civil authorities."
BruEAGCRAcr.-Nineteen-twentieths
-aye, more-of the employees of the
departments are hostile to the policy
of the President. The bureaus, al?
most without exception, are presided
over by his political foes, who have
crammed their respective offices with
the bitterest of radicals and negro
worshippers. With some few design?
ing exceptions, used for a disguise,
no applicant is appointed by them
who is not unquahfiedly committed
to negro suffrage and equality; and no
employee, however efficient and com?
petent, is promoted who is not of the
same stripe. The proscription and
favoritism has become a studied sys?
tem in many of the bureaus.
[Herald's Wttskington Despatch.
RESTORATION OF SOUTHERN ESTATES
TO PARDONED OWNERS.-During the
hist week, upwards of a dozen citizens
of the South, who liad obtained their
pardons, made personal application at
the Freedmen's Bureau for the resto?
ration of lands which had been taken
into thc custody of the Bureau. On
production of the certificates of par?
don, the applicants were furnished
with orders upon the local agents of
the Bureaus in the South for the resti?
tution of the property claimed, with
the provision that the owners be made
to compensate the blacks for the crops
they may bo cultivating thereon, or
leave them in undisturbed possession
until tho same are harvested.
Harry Leslie, loaded with chains,
made his third ascension over the Ni?
agara Uiver, recently. There was a
heavy storm, but the crowd was large
and enthusiastic.
Our devil advises any young couple
who aro "engaged," and wish to pre?
vent the tongue of scandal from deal?
ing harshly with them, to give & wida
Ijooal Item?.
To insure insertion, advertisers are re?
quested to hand in their notices before 4
o'clock p. m.
SOLUTES MISSINQ.-Attention is solicited
to the advertisement, by "Wm. B. Davis,
headed .'Information Wanted," ?nd calling
for information touching a missing soldier.
Levi N. Davis, of Company K, 47th Georgia
Regiment. See the details in the advertise?
ment. AU humane persons, capable of
giving any information, with regard to this
missing soldier, will be pleased to commu?
nicate with thia office, or the advertiser.
The folowing is a List of Letton remain?
ing at thc Shiver Homo:
Mrs. S. H. Bell, Hrs. John English, Mrs.
Emma Blood, Mrs. M. 8. Shepperd, Mrs.
Rebecca Gilmore. Mrs. M. L. Bonner, Mrs.
Jenny William?, Mrs. T. S. Niekerson, Mrs.
H. C. Hornsby, Mrs. John Fielding, Mrs.
G. S. Bower (2), Mrs. Mary Allen, Mrs.
Gracey AdauiB, Miss M. G. Mobley, Miss A.
S. Edwards, Miss C. A. Park, Miss F. T.
Burshart, Mr. M. Edwards, Mr. J. L. Owen,
J. W. Davidson, J. B. Black, W. Connor,
Dr. J. E. Glover, J. C. Janncv (2), B, Jor?
dan, T. Colderman 25th Ohio.'R. L. Bryan, '
B. R. Hudgins, B. Harrison, R. Gardiner,
W. S. Davis, R. G. Center, J. J. Fripp, W.
! G. Brown, T. G. Gerardeau, J. H. Kinard.
WATER WORKS AND TAXES.-We. met an
! excellent citizen this morning at sunrise.
"Do," quoth he, "pitch into the Council
about our water works. Wc can got uo
water." "Exactly," said we; "and the
Council, anticipating you, says, "Do pitch
into the citizens, who will not come forward
and pay their taxes. How can we carry on
the city works, of any kind, unless the taxes
are paid?" "But," says our excellent friend,
"I have paid my taxes." "Alas!" we replied,
"it requires some ten of you to say the same
thing if yon would savo the city." From
what we "hear, there arc only four citizens,
as yet, who have squared accounts with the
tax collector! And thus the accounts stand
between the parties. And since thia con?
versation, we nave been requested by half
a-dozen others to "pitch into the Council."
Let ns propose to both parties to "pitch
into" each other before the Superior Provost
Court. Let the citizens impeach Council
for neglect of duty, and Council prosecute
the citizens for non-payment of taxes, and
by the time thc Provost. Court shall hav?
done with them, the pitching process will
make every man's pitcher to run over!
NEW ADVEimsEMENTS.-Attention is called
to the following advertisements, which are
published for the first time this morning:
G. W. Wilhams & Co.-Brokers.
'. " " -New Goods.
Strayed-Apply at this office.
Simons' .t Kerrison-New Goods.
John Caldwell-Decimation.
Durbec St Walter-Cottage Wanted.
W. B. Davis-Information Wanted.
A.'.F.'.M.'.-Meeting.
G. M. Coffin-Groceries, Dry Goods, etc.
Jacob Levin-Furniture Sale.
" " -Drv Goods, Perfumery, etc.
Mrs. Walter -Ladles' Clothing.
FOREIGN VIEW OF OUR LAHOR QUES?
TION.-There are some elements in the
American character which foreigners
cannot understand. Upon these we
rely to treat successfully the serious
questions now pressing upon us. As
indicating how serious these questions
seem to outsiders, and how necessary
it is that only those whose responsi?
bility or immediate interest will
prompt them to the utmost care should
deal with the matter, the opinion of
the London Times may be quoted.
It says:
"In the West Indies, in the larger
islands, the negroes refuse to work,
though the planters, with their own
wealth and the twenty minions of
pounds distributed among them "for
compensation, were able to pay them.
In the South there are no longer any
rich, and few able to pay for labor,
even were the negroes willing to work.
In the West Indies it was possible to
Uve on the spontaneous productions
of the soil. Not so in the Southern
States. It is easy for a victorious
government, by a few words, to strike
off the fetters of the slave, and sud?
denly dislocate and destroy the indus?
try of a whole community, but it is
not easy to find an answer to the awful
question us to the probable fate of a
million or two of negroes suddenly
thrown upon their own resources in
the midst of an exhausted and impov?
erished community.
THE NUMBER OF BATTLES.-The
number of battles fought during the
war is given by an exchange, who, wo
think, under-states the number as two
hundred and sixty-two.? Of these, th?
soil of Virginia drank the blood of
eighty-nine, Tennessee witnessed
thirty-seven, Missouri twenty-fire,
Georgia twelve, South Carolina ten,
North Carolina eleven, Alabama se?
ven, Florida five, Kentuckv fdhrteen,
the Indian Territory and New Mexico
one each. Once the wave of war roll?
ed into a Northern State, and broke
in the great billow of Gettysburg. Of
the battles enumerated, sixteen were
naval engagements.
The largest Indian tribe now in this
country is the Camanches. They num?
ber 20,000.
It is the pale passions that are the
fiercesi; it is the violence of the chill